Part 20

We habbadh oft gesaed, and g['i]t secgadh, thaet Cristes rihtwisnys is swa micel, thaet he nolde niman mancyn neadunga of dham deofle, buton he hit forwyrhte. He hit forwyrhte dhadha he tihte thaet folc to Cristes cwale, thaes Aelmihtigan Godes; and dha thurh his unscaedhdhigan deadh wurdon we alysede fram dham ecan deadhe, gif we us sylfe ne forpaeradh. Tha getimode dham redhan deofle swa swa dedh tham graedigan fisce, the gesihdh thaet ['ae]s, and ne gesihdh dhone angel dhe on dham aese sticadh; bidh thonne graedig thaes aeses, and forswylcdh thone angel fordh mid tham aese. Swa waes tham deofle: he geseh dha menniscnysse on Criste, and na dha godcundnysse: dha sprytte he thaet Iudeisce folc to his slege, and gefredde dha thone angel Cristes godcundnysse, thurh dha h['e] waes to deadhe aceocod, and ben['ae]med ealles mancynnes thara dhe on God belyfadh.

Naes na Cristes dhrowung gefremmed on thisum daege, ac dha feower godspelleras awriton his dhrowunga on feower gesetnyssum; tha ane we raedadh nu to-daeg, and dha odhre on dhisre wucan. Tha Iudei gen['a]mon hine on frige-aefen, and heoldon hine dha niht, and dhaes on merigen h['i] hine gefaestnodon on rode mid feower naegelum, and mid spere gewundedon. And dha embe n['o]n-tid, thatha h['e] fordhferde, tha comon twegen gelyfede men, Ioseph and Nichodemus, and bebyrigdon his l['i]c aer aefene, on niwere dhryh, mid deorwyrdhum reafum bewunden. And his l['i]c laeg on byrgene tha saeter-niht and sunnan-niht; and seo godcundnys waes on dhaere hwile on helle, and gewradh thone ealdan deofol, and him of-anam Ad['a]m, thone frumsceapenan man, and his w['i]f Euan, and ealle dha dhe of heora cynne Gode ['ae]r gecwemdon. Tha gefredde se deofol thone angel the he ['ae]r graedelice forswealh. And Crist ar['a]s of deadhe on thone easterlican sunnan-daeg, the nu bidh on seofon nihtum; be dham is gelimplicor thonne mare to reccenne thonne nu sy: ac uton nu sprecan be dhyses daeges wurdhmynte.

{218} Se gewuna stent on Godes cyrcan, thurh lareowas geset, thaet gehwaer on Godes geladhunge se sacerd bletsian sceole palm-twigu on dhisum daege, and h['i] swa gebletsode dham folce daelan; and sceolon dha Godes theowas singan dhone lofsang, the thaet Iudeisce folc sang togeanes Criste, thatha he genealaehte his dhrowunge. We geeuenlaecadh tham geleaffullum of dham folce mid thisre daede, fordhan dhe hi baeron palm-twigu mid lofsange togeanes tham Haelende. Nu sceole we healdan urne palm, odhthaet se sangere onginne dhone offring-s['a]ng, and geoffrian thonne Gode dhone palm, for dhaere getacnunge. Palm getacnadh syge. Sygefaest waes Crist thatha he dhone micclan deofol oferwann, and us generede: and we sceolon beon eac sygefaeste thurh Godes mihte, swa thaet we ure undheawas, and ealle leahtras, and dhone deofol oferwinnan, and ['u]s mid godum weorcum geglencgan, and on ende ures lifes betaecan Gode dhone palm, thaet is, ure sige, and dhancian him georne, thaet we, dhurh his fultum, deoful oferwunnon, thaet he us beswican ne mihte.

Synfulra manna deadh is yfel and earmlic, fordhan dhe h['i] faradh of dhisum scortan life to ecum pinungum: and rihtwisra manna deadh is deorwyrdhe, fordhi dhonne h['i] geendiadh dhis geswincfulle l['i]f, thonne beodh h['i] gebrohte to dham ecan life, and bidh thonne swylce heora ende beo anginn; fordhan dhe h['i] ne beodh na deade, ac beodh awende of deadhe to life. Se lichama, dhe is thaere sawle reaf, anbidadh thaes micclan domes; and dheah he beo to duste formolsnod, God hine araerdh, and gebrincdh togaedere sawle and lichaman to dham ecan life; and bidh thonne gefylled Cristes beh['a]t, dhe dhus cwaedh, "Thonne sc['i]nadh dha rihtwisan swa swa sunne on heora Faeder r['i]ce," sedhe leofadh and rixadh ['a] butan ende on ecnysse. Amen.

Circlice dheawas forbeodadh to secgenne aenig spel on tham thrym swig-dagum.

{207} FOR PALM SUNDAY.

Cum adpropinquasset Jesus Hierosolymis, et venisset Bethfage ad montem Oliveti: et reliqua.

Christ's passion has just been read before us, but we will first say to you how he came to the city of Jerusalem, and approached his own death, and would not by flight avoid his passion.

"Jesus went to the city of Jerusalem, and when he approached the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, thus saying, Go to the town which is before you, and ye shall straightways find an ass tied and its foal also: untie them, and lead them to me," etc.

It was known to the people that Christ a little before had raised Lazarus from death, who had lain stinking four nights in the grave: then those, who were believing, came to meet Christ with the honours which we have already mentioned. Some also who believed not came, with no honours, but with great wrath, as John the Evangelist said, That "the chief priests of the people consulted among themselves how they should slay Lazarus, whom Christ had raised from the dead; because many men of the people believed in Jesus, by reason of the dead man's rising." We will now proceed to the exposition of this text.

The two disciples whom Christ sent after the ass betokened the teachers whom God sends to instruct mankind. They were two, because of the character which a teacher should have. He should have learning, that he may with wisdom instruct God's people in true belief, and he should, by good works, give good example to the people, and so, with those two things, that is, with learning and good example, ever incline the lay folk to God's will.

The tied ass and its foal betoken two people, that is, the Jewish and the heathen: I say, heathen, because all mankind was yet continuing in heathenism, save only the Jews, {209} who observed the old law at that time. They were tied; for all mankind was bound with sins, as the prophet said, "Every man is bound with the ropes of his sins." Then God sent his apostles and their successors to bound mankind, and bade untie, and lead them to him. How untied they the ass and the foal? They preached to the people right belief and God's commandments, and also by many miracles confirmed their preaching. The people then inclined from the service of the devil to the worship of Christ, and were freed from all sins, through holy baptism, and led to Christ.

An ass is a foolish beast, and unclean, and stupid, compared with other beasts, and strong for burthens. So were men, before Christ's advent, foolish and unclean, while they ministered to idols, and divers sins, and bowed to the images, which they themselves had wrought, and said to them, "Thou art my God." And whatsoever burthen the devil set on them they bare. But when Christ came to mankind, then turned he our foolishness to reason, and our uncleanness to pure morals. The tamed ass betokened the Jewish people, who were tamed under the old law. The wild foal betokened all other people, who were heathen and untamed; but they became tamed and believing when Christ sent his disciples over the whole earth, thus saying, "Go over all the earth, and teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and command that they hold all the precepts which I have taught you."

The master of the asses asked, why they untied his asses? In like manner the chief men of every people would perversely oppose the preaching of God. But when they saw that the preachers, through God's might, healed the halt and the blind, and gave speech to the dumb, and also raised the dead to life, then could they not withstand those miracles, but all at last inclined to God. Christ's disciples said, "The {211} Lord hath need of the asses, and sends for them." They did not say Our Lord, nor Thy Lord, but simply, The Lord; for Christ is Lord of all lords, both of men and of all creatures. They said, "He sends for them." We are exhorted and invited to God's kingdom, but we are not forced. When we are invited, then are we untied; and when we are left to our own election, then is it as though we are sent for. It is God's mercy that we are untied; but if we live rightly, that will be both God's grace and our own zeal. We should constantly pray for the Lord's support; seeing that our own election has no success, unless it be promoted by the Almighty.

Christ did not command them to lead to him a proud steed adorned with golden trappings, but the mean ass he chose to bear him; for he ever taught humility, and in himself gave the example, and thus said, "Learn of me, who am meek and very humble, and ye shall find rest for your souls." This was prophesied of Christ, and all the things which he did before he was born as man.

Sion is a hill, and it is interpreted, _A place of contemplation_; and Jerusalem, _Sight of peace_. The daughter of Sion is the congregation of believing men, who belong to the heavenly Jerusalem, in which is ever _a sight of peace_, without any strife, to which Jesus will bring us, if we follow him.

Christ's disciples laid their garments upon the ass, because he would not ride on a naked ass. Garments betoken works of righteousness, as the prophet said, "Lord, thy priests are clothed with righteousness." The naked ass is saddled with garments, when the simple man is equipped to the hand of God with the exhortations and examples of wise instructors; and he then bears Christ, as the apostle said, "Ye are bought with great price; glorify therefore, and bear God on your bodies." We bear God on our bodies, because we are a temple and shrine of the Holy Ghost, if we {213} guard ourselves against foul sins: of which the same apostle said very awfully, "He who defiles the temple of God, God will fordo him." He who is not a temple of God is a temple of the devil, and bears a very heavy burthen on his back.

We will say to you a parable. No man may make himself a king, for the people have the option to choose him for king who is agreeable to them: but after that he has been hallowed as king, he has power over the people, and they may not shake his yoke from their necks. In like manner every man has his own choice, before he sins, whether he will follow the devil's will, or withstand it. Then if he bind himself with the works of the devil, he cannot by his own power unbind himself, unless the Almighty God unbind him with the strong hand of his mercy. Of his own will and his own heedlessness he is bound, but through God's mercy he will be unbound, if he afterwards merit his liberation of God.

The people who cast their garments under the feet of the ass, are the martyrs, who for Christ's faith gave their own bodies to torments. Some were burnt in fire, some drowned in the sea, and slain with divers tortures; and gave us an example, that we should not, for any persecutions or hardships, forsake our faith, and incline from Christ, any more than they did. Many a man is accounted a christian in peace, who would very quickly deny Christ, if he were sentenced to that to which the martyrs were sentenced: but his christianity is not praiseworthy. But that man's christianity is praiseworthy, who will not, for any persecution, incline from Christ, neither for sword, nor for fire, nor for water, nor for hunger, nor for bonds; but ever holds his faith with the praises of God to his life's end.

Those who hewed branches of trees, and with them prepared Christ's way, are the teachers in God's church, who cull the sayings of the apostles and their successors, and with {215} them direct God's people to the faith of Christ, that they may be prepared for his way.

The people who walked before Christ, and those who followed him, all sung "Osanna Filio David," that is, in our tongue, "Hail, Son of David." Those who walked before Christ, are the patriarchs and prophets, who were before Christ's incarnation; and those who went after him, are those who inclined to Christ after his birth, and daily incline to him: and all these sing one hymn; because we and they all hold one faith, as Peter the apostle said, when he spake of the patriarchs, "We believe that we shall be saved by Christ's grace, as well as they."

They said, "Son of David," because Christ is, according to his human nature, of the great race of David. Of that race was the blessed Mary his mother. They sung, "Blessed is he who is come in the name of God." Jesus came in the name of God, for the Heavenly Father sent him for our redemption; and in all the miracles which he wrought, he praised and glorified his Father's name. "Hail, Son of David, in the highest." The Saviour's advent and his passion were salutary both to men and angels; because we increase their host which the fallen devil had diminished; concerning which the apostle Paul said, "That all heavenly and earthly things should be re-established in Christ."

Jesus was staying in the temple from this day till now on Thursday, and both with doctrine and with miracles stimulated the people to truth and to right faith. Then the chief men became envious of his doctrine, and machinated with great deliberation how they might bring him to death. Death could not have approached him, if he himself had not willed it, but he came to men because he would be obedient to his Father till death, and redeem mankind from eternal death by his temporary death. Yet did he not compel the Jewish {217} people to slay him, but the devil instigated them to the work, and God consented to it, for the redemption of all believing mankind.

We have often said, and yet say, that the justice of Christ is so great, that he would not forcibly have taken mankind from the devil, unless he had forfeited them. He forfeited them when he instigated the people to the slaying of Christ, the Almighty God; and then through his innocent death we were redeemed from eternal death, if we do not destroy ourselves. Then it befell the cruel devil as it does the greedy fish, which sees the bait, and sees not the hook which sticks in the bait; then is greedy after the bait and swallows up the hook with the bait. So it was with the devil: he saw the humanity in Christ, and not the divinity: he then instigated the Jewish people to slay him, and then felt the hook of Christ's divinity, by which he was choked to death, and deprived of all mankind who believe in God.

Christ's passion did not take place on this day, but the four evangelists recorded his sufferings in four narratives: one we read now to-day, and the others in this week. The Jews took him on Friday evening, and held him that night, and on the morrow fixed him on a cross with four nails, and with a spear wounded him. And then about the ninth hour, when he departed, there came two believing men, Joseph and Nicodemus, and buried his corpse before evening in a new tomb, enwrapt in precious garments. And his corpse lay in the sepulchre the Saturday night and Sunday night; and the Divinity was during that while in hell, and bound the old devil, and took from him Adam, the first-created man, and his wife Eve, and all those of their race who had before given pleasure to God. Then was the devil sensible of the hook which he had before greedily swallowed. And Christ arose from death on the Easter-Sunday, which will now be in seven days, of which it is more fitting then to speak more fully than it is now: but let us now speak of the dignity of this day.

{219} The custom exists in God's church, by its doctors established, that everywhere in God's congregation the priest should bless palm-twigs on this day, and distribute them so blessed to the people; and God's servants should then sing the hymn which the Jewish people sang before Christ, when he was approaching to his passion. We imitate the faithful of that people with this deed, for they bare palm-twigs with hymn before Jesus. Now we should hold our palm until the singer begins the offering-song, and then offer to God the palm for its betokening. Palm betokens victory. Victorious was Christ when he overcame the great devil and rescued us: and we should also be victorious through God's might, so that we overcome our evil practices, and all sins, and the devil, and adorn ourselves with good works, and at the end of our life deliver the palm to God, that is, our victory, and thank him fervently, that we, through his succour, have overcome the devil, so that he could not deceive us.

The death of sinful men is evil and miserable, because they pass from this short life to everlasting torments: and the death of righteous men is precious, for when they end this life of tribulation they will be brought to the life eternal, and then will their end be as a beginning; for they will not be dead, but will be turned from death to life. The body, which is the garment of the soul, will await the great doom, and though it be rotted to dust, God will raise it, and will bring together soul and body to eternal life; and then will Christ's promise be fulfilled, who thus said, "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in their Father's kingdom," who liveth and ruleth ever without end to eternity. Amen.

Church customs forbid any sermon to be said on the three still days.

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{220} DOMINICA S[=C]E PASCE.

Oft ge gehyrdon embe dhaes Haelendes aerist, h['u] h['e] on dhisum daege of deadhe ar['a]s; ac we willadh eow myngian, thaet hit ne gange eow of gemynde.

"Thadha Crist bebyrged waes, tha cwaedon tha Iudeiscan to heora ealdormenn Pilate, La leof, se swica dhe her ofslegen is, cwaedh gelomlice, thatha h['e] on l['i]fe waes, thaet h['e] wolde arisan of deadhe on tham dhriddan daege:" et reliqua.

We cwedhadh nu, gif hw['a] his lic forstaele, nolde he hine unscrydan, fordhan dhe stalu ne lufadh nane yldinge. Crist weardh aeteowed on dham ylcan daege Petre, and odhrum twam his leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] gefrefrode. "Tha aet nextan com se Haelend to his leorning-cnihtum, thaer h['i] gegaderode waeron, and cwaedh him to, Sy sibb betwux eow; ic hit eom, ne beo ge na afyrhte. Tha wurdon h['i] afaerede, and wendon thaet hit sum gast waere. Dha cwaedh he him to, Hw['i] sind ge afaerede, and mislice dhencadh be me? Sceawiadh mine handa and mine f['e]t, the waeron mid naeglum thurhdrifene. Grapiadh and sceawiadh: gif ic gast waere, dhonne naefde ic flaesc and ban:" et reliqua.

Se Haelend weardh tha gelomlice aet['i]wed his leorning-cnihtum, and h['i] gewissode to dhaere lare and to dham geleafan, h['u] h['i] eallum mancynne taecan sceoldon; and on dham feowertigodhan daege his aeristes h['e] ast['a]h lichamlice to heofonum to his Faeder. Ac we habbadh n['u] micele maran endebyrdnysse thaere Cristes bec ges['ae]d thonne dhis daegdherlice godspel behaefdh, for trymminge eowres geleafan. Nu wylle we eow gereccan thaes daegtherlican godspelles traht, aefter dhaes halgan papan Gregories trahtnunge.

Mine gebrodhra tha leofostan, ge gehyrdon thaet tha halgan w['i]f, the Drihtne on life filigdon, comon to his byrgene mid thaere deorwyrdhan sealfe, and thone dhe h['i] lufedon on l['i]fe tham h['i] woldon deadum mid menniscre gecneordnysse dhenian. Ac {222} dheos d['ae]d getacnadh sum dhing to d['o]nne on Godes geladhunge. We dhe gelyfadh Cristes aeristes, we cumadh gewislice to his byrgene mid deorwyrdhre sealfe, gif we beodh gefyllede mid braedhe haligra mihta, and gif we mid hlysan godra weorca urne Drihten secadh. Tha w['i]f dhe dha sealfe brohton, hi gesawon englas; fordhan dhe dha geseodh tha heofonlican englas, tha the mid braedhum godra weorca gewilniadh thaes upplican faereldes. Se engel awylte thaet hl['i]d of dhaere dhryh; na thaet h['e] Criste ['u]tganges rymde, ac he geswutelode mannum thaet h['e] arisen waes. Se dhe com deadhlic to dhisum middangearde, acenned thurh beclysedne innodh thaes maedenes, se ylca, butan tw['e]on, dhadha h['e] ar['a]s undeadhlic, mihte belocenre dhr['i]h faran of middangearde. Se engel saet on dha swidhran healfe dhaere byrgene. Seo swidhre hand getacnadh thaet ece l['i]f, and seo wynstre dhis andwearde l['i]f. Rihtlice saet se engel on dha swidhran hand, fordhon the he cydde thaet se Haelend haefde dha oferfaren dha brosnunga dhises andweardan lifes, and waes dha wunigende on ecum dhingum undeadhlic. Se bydel waes ymbscryd mid scinendum reafe, fordhan dhe he bodade tha blisse thisre freols-t['i]de, and ure maerdha. Hwaedher cwedhe we, dhe ure dhe dhaera engla? We cwedhadh sodhlice, aegdher ge ure ge heora. Thaes Haelendes aerist is ure freols-t['i]d and bliss, fordhan dhe he gelaedde us mid his aeriste to dhaere undeadlicnysse the we to gesceapene waeron. His aerist waes thaera engla bliss, fordhon dhe God gefyldh heora getel, thonne he ['u]s to heofonum gebrincdh.

Se engel gehyrte dha w['i]f, thus cwedhende, "Ne beo ge afyrhte:" swilce he swa cwaede, Forhtian dha dhe ne lufiadh engla to-cyme; beon dha ofdraedde tha the sint ofsette mid flaesclicum lustum, and nabbadh naenne hiht to engla werode. Hwi forhtige ge, ge dhe geseodh eowre geferan? "His wlite waes swilce l['i]get, and his reaf swa hw['i]t swa sn['a]w." Sodhlice on l['i]gette is ['o]ga, and on sn['a]we lidhnys thaere beorhtnysse. Rihtlice waes se bydel Cristes aeristes swa geh['i]wod; fordhan thonne he sylf cymdh to dham micclan dome, thonne bidh he swidhe egeful dham synfullum, and swidhe lidhe tham rihtwisum. {224} He cwaedh, "Ge secadh thone Haelend: h['e] ar['a]s: nis h['e] her." He naes dha lichamlice on dhaere byrgene, sedhe aeghwaer bidh thurh his godcundan mihte. Thaer l['ae]ig thaet reaf baeftan the he mid bewunden waes, fordhon dhe h['e] ne rohte thaes eordhlican reafes, sydhdhan he of deadhe ar['a]s. Theah man deadne mannan mid reafe bewinde, ne arist thaet reaf na dhe hradhor eft mid tham men, ac he bidh mid tham heofenlicum reafe gescryd aefter his aeriste.

Wel is gecweden be dham Haelende, thaet he wolde cuman togeanes his geferon on Galilea. Galilea is gecweden 'Oferfaereld.' Se Haelend waes dha afaren fram dhrowunge to ['ae]riste, fram deadhe to life, fram wite to wuldre. And gif we faradh fram leahtrum to halgum maegnum, thonne mote we geseon dhone Haelend aefter urum faerelde of dhisum life. Twa l['i]f sind sodhlice: thaet ['a]n we cunnon, thaet odher us waes uncudh aer Cristes to-cyme. Thaet ['a]n l['i]f is deadlic, thaet odher undeadlic. Ac se Haelend com and underfeng thaet ['a]n l['i]f, and geswutelode thaet odher. Thaet ['a]n l['i]f he aeteowde mid his deadhe, and thaet odher mid his aeriste. Gif he us deadlicum mannum aerist and thaet ece l['i]f behete, and theah-hwaedhere nolde hit thurh hine sylfne geswutelian, hwa wolde thonne his behatum gelyfan? Ac dhadha he man beon wolde, dha gemedemode h['e] hine sylfne eac to deadhe agenes willan, and he ar['a]s of deadhe thurh his godcundan mihte, and geswutelode thurh hine sylfne thaet thaet he us beh['e]t.